This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 1999-67840 filed on Dec. 31, 1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display module, and more particularly, to the module including a back light device having cables.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a general portable computer such as a laptop or notebook computer typically includes a body 10, a liquid crystal display device assembly 20 coupled to the body 10 via a hinge mechanism 24. The liquid crystal display assembly 20 has a liquid crystal display module 21 and a display case 22 supporting the module 130. The body 10 has an input device 12 such as a keyboard. Though the case 22 includes front and rear cases, in FIG. 1, the front case is omitted for explanation.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display module 21. The liquid crystal display module 21 includes a back light device 23 and a liquid crystal display panel 14 having printed circuit boards 32. The back light device 23 and the liquid crystal display panel 14 are attached to each other via a main frame 60 and a top frame 70. The main frame 60 is typically made of a plastic material and supported by a cover 80 (see FIG. 5). The back light device 23 includes a reflective plate 23a, a waveguide plate 23b, a first diffuser/protecting sheet 23c, a first prism sheet 23d, a second prism sheet 23e, and a second diffuser/protecting sheet 23f, which are all stacked on each other in the above-described order. The main frame 60 is coupled to the top frame 70 with the liquid crystal panel 14 and the back light device 23 interposed therebetween.
Hereinafter, detailed structures of the back light device 23, the main frame 60, and the top or metal frame 70 will be explained.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the back light device according to the related art. The back light device 23 includes a lamp 30, a lamp housing 29 collecting and reflecting the light from the lamp 30, an inverter board 26 acting as an electric source to turn ON/OFF the lamp 30, cables 27a and 27b transmitting the voltage from the inverter board 26 to the lamp 30, and two sockets 28a and 28b connecting the cables 27a and 27b and the lamp 30.
The one socket 28a is generally fixed and the other one 28b is detachable in order to exchange the lamp 30. The cables 27a and 27b can have a heat-shrinkable tube. The thicker one, cable 27a for high voltage, is fixed to the lamp 30 by soldering, and connected to the inverter board 26 by soldering or through a connector (not shown).
FIG. 4 shows a structure of the main frame 60 which is generally made of plastic material. The main frame 60 has a bottom surface portion 61 and a side surface portion 62 elongated from the peripheral edges, and supports the back light device 23 and the liquid crystal display panel 14. The back light device 23 is especially supported by one surface 62a of the side surface portion 62.
FIG. 5 shows a cover or lower cover 80. The lower cover 80 has a plane portion 82 as a main portion and a pair of vertical portions 84 bent from the plane portion 82. The plane portion 82 has a first screw hole 86 for connecting the cover 80 and the main frame 60. Each vertical portion 84 has a second screw for connecting the metal frame 70 and the cover 80. The lower cover 80 supports the main frame 60 along the longitudinal direction of the lamp 30 of the back light device 23, and protects against bending or wrinkling of the main frame 60. To this end, the lower cover 80 is made of a stainless steel. The lower cover 80 can be mounted further or reside alone near the printed circuit board at the opposite side of the location of the lamp 30.
FIG. 6 shows structure of the metal frame 70 which is for assembling the liquid crystal assembly 20 at the final step. The metal frame 70 has bent portions toward the main frame 60 and is assembled to the main frame 60 and the rear case 22 (see FIG. 1).
The areas xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d of FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, respectively, designate a passage for the cables 27 of the back light device 23.
FIG. 7 shows an assembled liquid crystal display module 21. The square shaped liquid crystal panel 14 is surrounded by the metal frame 70 at the upper portion thereof, and has the back light device at the lower portion thereof. Both cables 27a and 27b transmitting voltage to the back light device 23 from the inverter board 26 are located outside of the liquid crystal module 21 through the passage around a corner thereof. Though each of the cables 27a and 27b are connected to the corresponding ends of the lamp 30, since the liquid crystal display assembly 20 (see FIG. 1) tends to become more compact and thinner, if one of the cables 27a and 27b is located at the opposite end of the passage, the whole size of the liquid crystal assembly 20 becomes larger.
The structure of the assembly 21 usually adopted for a portable computer as described above has following problems.
First, during transporting, packing, or manufacturing the liquid crystal module, when connecting the inverter board and the connectors (not shown) with the cable or handling the cable for any other reasons, external forces can be transmitted to the soldering portion between the lamp and the cable, leading to a disconnection between them.
Second, while mounting the liquid crystal display assembly to a portable computer shown in FIG. 1, the cable of the back light device can contact the hinge frame, thus the skin of the heat-shrinkable tube or wire cable can rip or be damaged.
Third, as shown in FIG. 1, since the inverter board of the portable or laptop computer is positioned near the center of one side of the liquid crystal module, the cable detours around the connecting member extended from the hinge frame and is connected to the inverter board via the space between the hinge mechanism and the liquid crystal assembly, which is a complicated arrangement.
These problems have a limit to be overcome by a design change, since the display assembly tends to be more compact or thinner.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a liquid crystal module for a computer that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display module having a structure that can obviate undesired or accidental disconnection of the cable of the back light device.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention provides, in one embodiment, a liquid crystal display module including: a display panel having side surfaces and a top surface having a display region; a back light device having a lamp supplying light to the display panel, the lamp having a cable; a first frame covering peripheral portions of the top surface and side portions of the display panel; a second frame supporting the display panel and the back light device with the first frame, the second frame having a main surface and a side wall extended and bent from the main surface; and a guide member guiding the cable of the lamp.
The guide member is fixed to the second frame and has a stainless steel. The guide member has a first surface portion assembled to the second frame, and a second surface portion extended and bent from the first surface portion, the second surface portion facing and contacting the side wall of the second frame.
The guide member guides the cable connected to an end of the lamp towards a longitudinal center of the lamp. The second surface portion of the guide member extends along the longitudinal direction of the lamp, a portion of the second surface portion positioned at an end of the lamp has an opening as a passage of the cable and a protrusion for guiding the cable toward the opening. The first and/or second frames can have a protrusion corresponding to the protrusion of the guide member.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a liquid crystal display module including a liquid crystal panel having a display region; a back light device having a lamp supplying light to the panel, the lamp having cables at both ends thereof; a first frame having a first portion covering a peripheral portion of the display region and a second portion covering a side surface of the panel; a second frame having an inner surface, an outer surface and a side surface, and supporting the panel and the back light device with the first frame; and a fixing unit positioned at a corresponding position of the lamp of the back light device, and having a first surface portion contacting the outer surface of the second frame and a second surface portion having a guiding portion guiding cables of the lamp toward a longitudinal center of the lamp.
The second surface portion of the fixing unit contacts the side surface of the second frame, and has a protruded shape having an opening headed to the center of the lamp.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a liquid crystal display module comprising a liquid crystal display panel having a display region; a back light device having a lamp supplying light to the panel, the lamp having cables at both ends thereof; a first frame having a first portion covering a peripheral portion of the display region and a second portion covering a side surface of the panel; a second frame supporting the panel and the back light device with the first frame; and a fixing unit positioned at a corresponding position of the lamp, fixed to the second frame, elongated in a longitudinal direction of the lamp to define a side of the second frame, and having a guide portion guiding the cables to a center of the lamp.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a liquid crystal display module comprising a liquid crystal display panel having a display region; a back light device having a lamp supplying light to the panel, the lamp having cables at both ends thereof; a first frame having a first portion covering a peripheral portion of the display region, a second portion covering a side surface of the panel, and a third portion guiding the cables of the lamp from the ends of the lamp to a center of the lamp; and a second frame supporting the panel and the back light device with the first frame.
The third portion or guiding portion of the first frame is positioned at the second portion of the first frame, has a protruded shape at one end of the lamp, and the protruded shape has an opening for cables headed toward the center of the lamp. The liquid crystal display module further includes a fixing unit having a first surface portion fixed to the second frame, a second surface portion substantially perpendicular to the first surface portion, and a passage corresponding to the opening of the third portion of the first frame.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a computer comprising a liquid crystal display module including a) a liquid crystal display panel having a display region b) a back light device having a lamp supplying light to the panel, the lamp having cables at both ends thereof c) a first frame having a first portion covering a peripheral portion of the display region, a second portion covering a side surface of the panel and a third portion guiding the cables of the lamp d) a second frame supporting the panel and the back light device with the first frame; a case for holding the display module; an inverter board supplying electricity to the lamp of the back light device through the cables; a system body assembled with the display module via a hinge mechanism; and wherein the third portion of the first frame guides the cables toward the inverter board.
In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a computer comprising a liquid crystal display module including a) a liquid crystal display panel having a display region, b) a back light device having a lamp supplying light to the panel, the lamp having cables at both ends thereof, c) a first frame having a first portion covering a peripheral portion of the display region and a second portion covering a side surface of the panel, d) a second frame supporting the panel and the back light device with the first frame, and e) a guide member guiding the cables of the lamp; a case holding the display module; an inverter board supplying electricity to the lamp of the back light device through the cables; a system body assembled with the display module via a hinge mechanism; and wherein the guide member guides the cables toward the inverter board.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.